WNBA 1998

Mercury news

June 10
Final Roster Better to have more talent than not enough, it is still hard to say goodbye to some of the training camp participants that I grew to know and love. Dena Evans and Laura Baker were cut as the Australian Kristi Harrower blew past them both for the back-up Timms spot. Veteran Tia Jackson was let go as it become obvious third round draft pick, Brandy Reed, was a keeper. Pauline Jordon, I am glad to say, did make the cut and along with Michelle Griffiths, make the Merc beefy and bigger.

May 24
Training Camp Continues
Because of my association with E-sports.com, I have been lucky enough to find my way into many pre-season Mercury events. Monday was Media Day and I got to talk to newcomers and Mercury hopefuls Brandy Reed, Laura Baker and Tawona Alhaleem as well as returning starters Toni Foster and MY GIRL Bridget Pettis. Today I was able to sit in on a training camp practice and saw great things from Towana, Baker, and Pauline Jordon as well as ex-ABLer Dena Evans. Here is a copy of my article that I submitted to E-sports, A View from Camp: Week One. Stay tuned for week two news to see how Jennifer Gillom and Umeki Webb have improved over the season break.

May 10
Griffiths set to join WNBA exodus
By Stephen Howell

MICHELLE GRIFFITHS, the star of the Opals' recent winning tour of Japan, has joined the throng recruited to America's WNBA for the season starting next month. Griffiths, of the Sydney Flames, said yesterday she had verbally agreed to a deal with Phoenix Mercury, where she will join Opals teammates Michele Timms and Kristi Harrower. "I spoke to Timmsy twice today, she's really excited for me," Griffiths said. "She said I'd just be blown away at the first home game with 17,000-18,000 people there."

May 5
Harrower to join Timms
By STEPHEN HOWELL
(for Australian Paper)

A fourth Opal is heading to the WNBA, Melbourne's Kristi Harrower being selected by Phoenix Mercury as a back-up point guard for Australian star Michele Timms. Harrower's move brings to three the number of Australians with the Mercury - former Sydney Flames head coach Carrie Graf is the assistant coach - and to four the number of players in the league when it begins its second season.

May 3
Open Tryouts
There were only two lucky souls to survive the Mercury Open Tryouts on Sunday May 3. Skyla Sisco, last year's Big Sky Conference winner, and Laura Baker. Whether either could be one of the guards the team needs has yet to be determined.

May 3
Coach Carr
Another new assistant coach was present, at the Open Tryouts, Ernie Carr. He has quite a few years under his belt coaching men's teams and even coached Cedric Ceballos in high school. Plan on him being very vocal on the sidelines as he likes to pump up his players almost as much as Ms. Miller.

April 29, 1998
Results of the 1998 WNBA Draft are in. Cheryl Miller picked up the following new players:

• First round: Maria Stefanofa, 19yr old 6'8" Center from Russia
• Second round: Andrea Kuklova, 26yr old 6'0" Guard/Forward from Czech
• Third round: Brandy Reed, 21yr old 6'1" Forward from Southern Miss
• Fourth round: Karen Wilkens, 29yr old 6'0" Guard/Forward, Howard '91

Aida Barnes from U of A and Sandy Brondello from Austraila were not picked by the Mercury, although Cheryl Miller said those two were players they were sad to see get picked up before they had a chance. Phoenix had the eighth pick in all four rounds of the draft.

I asked Cheryl what this means for "Small Ball," since every player she picked was over 6 foot. She said "We've got size but more importantly, we are athletic." I asked if she found the guard she was looking for. After a few "ah, er, hummm"s she said she'd be reserving comment until after the open tryouts this weekend. I asked if she had any words of advice for Jineea Butler, a young lady I interviewed with on Sportjamz and is going to be coming out for tryouts from New York. She said, in cool Miller style, "Drink lots of water."

April 27, 1998
Steve Smith resigned from his position as Mercury Assistant Coach April 17, but it was announced Monday that Kathy Anderson has taken his place. Ms. Anderson comes to us from the University of Washington where she was the Director for Men's and Women's Husky basketball. When asked about how the new assistants would be utilized, Coach Miller responded by saying they will be spilting up the coaching staff much in the same way as Danny Anige does for the Suns: one will cover defense, one will cover offensive, etc. With Miller, Carrie Graf and now Anderson, these three ladies will have their hands full getting prepared for next season.

The WNBA announced it's new ad champaign. I like this better than last year's "We Got Next" which many people didn't understand, and it's much more inviting than the ABL's claim of "Real Players, Real Basketball."